Make your home safer.
A home’s structure is one of its most important components. If there’s a fire, water damage, or another catastrophic event, you want your home to remain structurally sound. You can reduce the cost of home insurance by taking several simple steps to make your home safer and more resilient. – Install smoke alarms in each bedroom, the hallway, and other rooms with a potential fire source. – Install carbon monoxide alarms in each room where a car is parked (like the garage). – Install an emergency shutoff valve on your water heater. – Upgrade your electrical system if needed. This will provide a safer and more reliable current and prevent fires and other damage from electrical wiring. – Install a lightning protection system for your roof. This will protect your home from lightning strikes, often extremely expensive to repair. – Have a family meeting and identify 1 person who would be responsible for calling 911 or another emergency outside of normal business hours. A high-priority phone line can also help significantly in an emergency.
Install smart home devices
If you have a smart home device that allows you- like a Nest Thermostat or a Ring Protect security system- you can use that to your advantage. Some home insurance providers offer discounts or perks for customers who use smart home devices. For example, one provider will give you a $100 annual discount if you have a Ring or Nest security system. Like, Insure and Go, home insurance comparison sites offer smart home device perks.
Organize your home and yard
When you clean your home and organize its contents, you drastically reduce the risk of damage to your property. Home insurance providers often charge higher rates for homes with broken windows, overflowing garbage bins, and cluttered shelves.
- Organize your home and yard.
- Get rid of clutter that’s not needed.
- Clear out cobwebs and broken items from your shelves and walls.
Wash your windows, remove graffiti, trim your trees, be more organized, and appeal to insurance providers.
Know your coverage limits
A home’s value is one of the biggest factors that affect the cost of home insurance. The more your home is worth, the higher your premiums will be. You’ll want to estimate your home’s value as accurately as possible. Another major factor that can affect the cost of your home insurance is the coverage limits that each provider offers. Coverage limits are often higher than in other areas.
Get a reliable home inspection.
On home insurance. About two-thirds of home insurance policies in the U.S. are written with mandatory home inspections. The inspection will cost you around $200-300 on average, but you could be missing out on $10,000 in coverage limits if you don’t know what you’re missing. Insurers offer several inspection services, ranging from basic walk-throughs to more advanced reports, including radon testing, structural assessments, and pests inspections.
Conclusion
Home insurance can be expensive, but you have several options to reduce the cost of your premiums:
- Ensure your home with a reliable security system and install smoke alarms.
- Organize your home and yard, and get a reliable home inspection.
- Know your coverage limits and get a reliable home inspection, saving you thousands on home insurance premiums each year.
